Cosmetics Are Not Toys: Personal Care Products That Can Be Harmful To Your Child
The result of your child experimenting with your cosmetics is always fun. Holding a makeup brush with lipstick smeared across their lips and cheeks might look cute and adorable. You might even click a picture or two to stamp that memory forever. But be careful when you let them play with your lipstick or primer the next time. A recent study states that thousands of kids below 5 years of age are rushed to the emergency room because of injuries relating to cosmetic products (1).
For the study, data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the Emergency Department in the US was analyzed. The most common cosmetic products which caused the injuries were nail care, hair care, skincare, and fragrance products. The study which was conducted over a period of 15 years found that 28.3% of injuries were caused by nailcare, 27% by hair care, 25% by skincare, and 12.7% by fragrance products. And all of these are products which we use regularly. Children below the age of 2 years were found to be the most vulnerable (59.3%), with poisoning being the majority of the cases.
Don’t Let Your Kids Play With Cosmetics
Certain personal care and cleaning products such as soaps and detergents contain borax in them. Borax is known to increase the risk of infertility, kidney failure, shock, digestive problems, skin, eye, and respiratory issues, and even death. If inhaled or swallowed, it can cause serious poisoning or organ failure (2).
Experimenting with their parent’s beauty and personal care products might seem enticing to young children. Personal care products often come in attractive bottles, packaging, and colors. The shampoo or facewash that you are using might even have glistening star-like particles in them. Children are often curious to see what’s in them and how they can get their hands on it. And if you look at the nail care products such as the nail paint, they come in attractive colors and small packaging. A toddler can easily pick it up and open it, or worst, put it inside their mouth.
Kids also see you putting on your lipstick, foundation, and mascara every day that makes them eager to try it out themselves. Just think about it: Haven’t you tried to steal your mommy’s lipstick at least once in your childhood days? So, why would you think that your kid would be any different?
Kids can’t read, they don’t know what’s inside each product or why they are used. If they see something colorful or attractive, something that looks and smells nice, their first instinct might be to put it in their mouth. They have no clue if it’s meant to be put on your nails or swallowed. In such cases, taking precautions is the only way to protect your kids from cosmetics-related injuries.
Here’s How You Can Protect Your Child
Don’t store your products in places where your child can reach easily. You can keep them in child-resistant containers. Or keep them in places where your little one cannot access it. It’s best to keep products such as shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, lipstick, foundation, etc, in cabinets or drawers with safety locks or latches.
If you have a little one who has just started to crawl, it’s likely that he/she will put anything and everything they can find in their mouth. Vacuuming or sweeping the floor every day will also help in keeping the floor safe for babies and toddlers.
However, it’s when you step out for work or some shopping that your kid finds it as the best time to explore. So make sure that any cabinets with cosmetic or other personal care products are locked or out of their reach. If you ever find yourself in a position where your kid has swallowed or ingested any cosmetic products, consult a doctor right away or rush to the emergency department. Now that you know how dangerous personal care products can be to your child, we hope you will consider taking precautions for their safety. Better safe than sorry!
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